Used Oil Management in Wisconsin
Background
Starting January 1, 2011, oil absorbents and used oil filters are banned from landfills.
Authority
2009 Wisconsin Act 86 was signed by Governor Doyle on December 1, 2009, and it took effect January 1, 2011.
The Act is codified in s. 287.07(4m) Wis. Stats. The penalty for violating the law is in s. 287.95(1) Wis. Stats.
Proposed Standards
Act 86 prohibits the disposal of a used oil filter in a solid waste disposal facility and the disposal of oil-absorbent materials that contain waste oil in a solid waste disposal facility. The prohibition on the disposal of oil-absorbent materials that contain waste oil does not apply to the disposal of less than one gallon of oil-absorbent materials that contain waste oil resulting from a non-routine spill.
Act 86 provides that any person who violates either of these prohibitions may be required to forfeit $50 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation, and no more than $2,000 for a third or subsequent violation.
The DNR has provided guidance on the definition of “gallon” and “non-routine spill.”
The DNR also provided guidance on the use and disposal of oil-absorbing material during and after its useful life, and clarified the meaning of “oil-absorbent material,” a term defined by statute.
Related Documents
DNR Publication on Used Oil and Absorbents, 2010
DNR Publican on Used Oil Management, 2010
DNR webpage on Used Oil Filters and Absorbents
DNR webpage on Motor Oil, Oil Filters and Other Automotive Products
Materials banned from Wisconsin landfills
PowerPoint Presentation on the Act
EPA webpage on Used Oil Management
EPA webpage – Managing Used Oil: Advice for Small Businesses